Gurrumul receives swathe of awards for ‘completion of his life’s work’

Gurrumul's Djarimirri is not just an album of songs, but an historical document

He was recently named Artist of the Year at this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) — and music legend Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu continues to break records over a year after his death.

His documentary Gurrumul has become the seventh highest grossing Australian documentary of all time, having taken over $970,000, publicists for the film said today.

It will be released to DVD on August 30 and currently continues to screen in cinemas.

Earlier this month, Gurrumul’s final masterpiece Djarimirri, or Child of the Rainbow, received a swathe of awards at the 2018 NIMA, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Artist of the Year.

It will be released on vinyl for the first time on Friday.

“It is significant that Australia has opened its mind and its heart to this important release,” producer and friend Michael Hohnensaid.

“Djarimirri is not just an album of songs, it’s an historical document. The record is an account of his community and its history that G created to open up the world and build a bridge between Yolngu and Balanda (non-Indigenous people).”

“To see his vision coming to life and for his work to be creating understanding of the beauty in his culture would make him very happy. It is on many levels the completion of his life’s work.”

Djarimirri was the first album in an Indigenous language to hit number one on the ARIA Albums chart.

The Gurrumul film was released in April and has been shown in the US and Europe.
Meanwhile, Darwin’s Baker Boy also picked up important awards at the NIMA.

He was awarded Film Clip of the Year for his hit Marryuna and was recognised as Best New Talent.

Country singer Roger Knox was admitted into the music hall of fame, while singer, songwriter and actor, the late T. E. Lewis was also acknowledged for his important contribution to the Australian music community.